A new book on ‘ Crisis of Citizenship in the Arab World’

Leiden (Netherlands) – A new book has been recently published, entitled, ‘The Crisis of Citizenship in the Arab World’. The book argues that the present crisis of the Arab world has its origins in the historical, legal and political development of state-citizen relations since the beginning of modern history in the Middle East and North Africa. Middle East, Islamic, and African Studies center (Brill Publishing) in The Netherlands, commented ahead of a book signing event to be organized as well as symposium to discuss the book
The anthology covers three main topics. Part I focuses on the crisis of the social pact in different Arab countries as it manifested during the Arab uprisings. Part II concentrates on concepts of citizenship in Islamic doctrine, Islamic movements (Muslim Brotherhood and Salafism), secular political movements and Arab thinkers. Part III looks into the practices that support the claims to equal rights as well as the factors that have obstructed full citizen rights, such as patronage and clientelism.

The book is edited by Roel Meijer, Radboud University, and Nils Butenschøn, University of Oslo.
Contributors are: Ida Almestad, Claire Beaugrand, Assia Boutaleb, Michaelle Browers, Nils Butenschøn, Anthony Gorman, Raymond Hinnebusch, Engin F. Isin, Rania Maktabi, Roel Meijer, Emin Poljarevic, Ola Rifai, James Sater, Rachel Scott, Jakob Skovgaard-Petersen, Robert Springborg, Stig Stenslie, Morten Valbjørn, Knut S. Vikør and Sami Zemni.

Roel Meijer is a senior research associate with experience in Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs. His main focus area is the Middle East and North Africa.
His expertise includes modern history of the Middle East; the Islamist and Salafi movements, as well as an expert on the countries Iraq, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.